Superhydrophobic sand mulch and date palm biochar boost growth of in sandy soils via enhanced irrigation and nutrient use efficiency.

Introduction: It is desirable to rehabilitate desert ecosystems with a selection of native plant species that render ecosystem services and yield natural products for creating a high-value industry, e.g., pharmaceuticals or cosmetics.

Effects of superhydrophobic sand mulching on evapotranspiration and phenotypic responses in tomato () plants under normal and reduced irrigation.

Irrigated agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions is a vital contributor to the global food supply. However, these regions endure massive evaporative losses that are compensated by exploiting limited freshwater resources. To increase water-use efficiency in these giga-scale operations, plastic mulches are utilized; however, their non-biodegradability and eventual land-filling renders them unsustainable.

On the formation of hydrogen peroxide in water microdroplets.

Recent reports on the formation of hydrogen peroxide (HO) in water microdroplets produced pneumatic spraying or capillary condensation have garnered significant attention. How covalent bonds in water could break under such mild conditions challenges our textbook understanding of physical chemistry and water. While there is no definitive answer, it has been speculated that ultrahigh electric fields at the air-water interface are responsible for this chemical transformation.

The Air-Water Interface of Water Microdroplets Formed by Ultrasonication or Condensation Does Not Produce HO.

Recent reports on the production of hydrogen peroxide (HO) on the surface of condensed water microdroplets without the addition of catalysts or additives have sparked significant interest. The underlying mechanism is thought to be ultrahigh electric fields at the air-water interface; smaller droplets present larger interfacial areas and produce higher (detectable) HO yields. To gain insights into this phenomenon, we performed condensation experiments and quantified HO formation as a function of the vapor source.

Nature-inspired wax-coated jute bags for reducing post-harvest storage losses.

Post-harvest storage of grains is crucial for food and feed reserves and facilitating seeds for planting. Ironically, post-harvest losses continue to be a major food security threat in the developing world, especially where jute bags are utilized. While jute fabrics flaunt mechanical strength and eco-friendliness, their water-loving nature has proven to be their Achilles heel.

Electrification at water-hydrophobe interfaces.

The mechanisms leading to the electrification of water when it comes in contact with hydrophobic surfaces remains a research frontier in chemical science. A clear understanding of these mechanisms could, for instance, aid the rational design of triboelectric generators and micro- and nano-fluidic devices. Here, we investigate the origins of the excess positive charges incurred on water droplets that are dispensed from capillaries made of polypropylene, perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane-coated glass, and polytetrafluoroethylene.

Reply to the 'Comment on "The chemical reactions in electrosprays of water do not always correspond to those at the pristine air-water interface"' by A. J. Colussi and S. Enami, , 2019, , DOI: 10.1039/c9sc00991d.

The air-water interface serves as a crucial site for numerous chemical and physical processes in environmental science and engineering, such as cloud chemistry, ocean-atmosphere exchange, and wastewater treatment. The development of "surface-selective" techniques for probing interfacial properties of water therefore lies at the forefront of research in chemical science. Recently, researchers have adapted electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS) to generate microdroplets of water to investigate interfacial phenomena at thermodynamic equilibrium.

The chemical reactions in electrosprays of water do not always correspond to those at the pristine air-water interface.

The recent application of electrosprays to characterize the air-water interface, along with the reports on dramatically accelerated chemical reactions in aqueous electrosprays, have sparked a broad interest. Herein, we report on complementary laboratory and experiments tracking the oligomerization of isoprene, an important biogenic gas, in electrosprays and isoprene-water emulsions to differentiate the contributions of interfacial effects from those of high voltages leading to charge-separation and concentration of reactants in the electrosprays. To this end, we employed electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, calculations and molecular dynamics simulations.

Evaluating the potential of superhydrophobic nanoporous alumina membranes for direct contact membrane distillation.

Hypothesis: Direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) processes exploit water-repellant membranes to desalt warm seawaters by allowing only water vapor to transport across. While perfluorinated membranes/coatings are routinely used for DCMD, their vulnerability to abrasion, heat, and harsh chemicals necessitates alternatives, such as ceramics. Herein, we systematically assess the potential of ceramic membranes consisting of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) for DCMD.

Time-Dependent Wetting Behavior of PDMS Surfaces with Bioinspired, Hierarchical Structures.

Wetting of rough surfaces involves time-dependent effects, such as surface deformations, nonuniform filling of surface pores within or outside the contact area, and surface chemistries, but the detailed impact of these phenomena on wetting is not entirely clear. Understanding these effects is crucial for designing coatings for a wide range of applications, such as membrane-based oil-water separation and desalination, waterproof linings/windows for automobiles, aircrafts, and naval vessels, and antibiofouling. Herein, we report on time-dependent contact angles of water droplets on a rough polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface that cannot be completely described by the conventional Cassie-Baxter or Wenzel models or the recently proposed Cassie-impregnated model.